Lil Johnson was a hokum blues (dirty blues) artist who may have left her mother's oven about 1900. It isn't known where she was born nor when or where that she died. It isn't known what she looked like because there are no known photographs of her. Her obscurity is all the more odd in that she was highly talented and clearly knew her business. DAHR has her composition, 'Good Time Mama Blues', getting recorded by Martha Copeland in New York City in October of 1927. Copeland recorded blues from 1923 to 1928 but didn't sell all that well.
'Good Time Mama Blues' Martha Copeland
13 Oct 1927 in NYC Matrix W144853 Columbia 14262-D
Clarinet: Bob Fuller Piano: Porter Grainger
Composition: Lil Johnson
Johnson herself put away her first recordings in Chicago on 18 and 23 April 1929. Titles on the 18th went unissued, but on the 23rd 'Never Let Your Left Hand Know What Your Right Hand Do' and 'You'll Never Miss Your Jelly Till Your Jelly Roller's Gone' went down toward Vocalion 1299. 'Rock That Thing' went down twice that summer in June and July, the latter released on Vocalion 1410. Lil didn't record again until 1935, putting away numerous tracks until her last known session on 29 December of 1937.
'Never Let Your Left Hand Know What Your Right Hand Do' Lil Johnson
First-known recording to see issue
23 April 1929 in Chicago Matrix C3355 Vocalion 1299
Piano: Charles Avery
Composition: Charles Avery / Lil Johnson
'You'll Never Miss Your Jelly Till Your Jelly Roller's Gone' Lil Johnson
Second-known recording to see issue
23 April 1929 in Chicago Matrix C3356 Vocalion 1299
Piano: Charles Avery
Composition: Charles Avery / Lil Johnson
'House Rent Scuffle' Lil Johnson
27 June 1929 in Chicago Matrix C3749 Vocalion 1410
Piano: Charles Avery Guitar: Tampa Red
Composition: Charles Avery / Lil Johnson
'Rock That Thing' Lil Johnson
17 July 1929 in Chicago Matrix C3895 Vocalion 1410
Piano: Charles Avery
Composition: Lil Johnson from Papa Charlie Jackson's 'Shake That Thing' of 1925
'Anybody Want to Buy My Cabbage?' Lil Johnson
16 July 1935 in Chicago Matrix 90164-A Champion 50002
Composition: Lil Johnson
'Evil Man Blues' Lil Johnson
16 July 1935 in Chicago Matrix 90166-A Champion 50052
Composition: ?
'Keep on Knocking' Lil Johnson
27 July 1935 in Chicago Matrix 91417-1 Bluebird B-6112
Piano: Black Bob
Composition: James Wiggins
'Press My Button (Ring My Bell)' Lil Johnson
12 Feb 1936 in Chicago Matrix C-1250-2
ARC 6-05-58 / Melotone 6-05-58 / Vocalion 03199
Piano: Black Bob ? Upright bass: Bill Settles
Composition: Lil Johnson
'Take It Easy Greasy' Lil Johnson
12 Feb 1936 in Chicago Matrix C-1251-1
ARC 6-05-58 / Melotone 6-05-58 / Perfect 6-05-58
Piano: Black Bob ? Upright bass: Bill Settles
Composition: Lil Johnson
'That Bonus Done Gone Thru' Lil Johnson
12 Feb 1936 in Chicago Matrix C-1253-2
ARC 6-05-52 / Melotone 6-05-52 / Perfect 6-05-52
Piano: Black Bob ? Upright bass: Bill Settles
Composition: Lil Johnson
'Sam the Hot Dog Man' Lil Johnson
Sometime March to June 1936 in Chicago Matrix C-1362-1,2 Vocalion 03241
Piano: Black Bob ? Guitar: Big Bill Broonzy
Composition: Lil Johnson
'Rug Cutter's Function' Lil Johnson
Sometime March to June 1936 in Chicago Matrix C-1363-1 Vocalion 03251
Piano: Black Bob ? Guitar: Big Bill Broonzy
Composition: Lil Johnson
'My Stove's In Good Condition' Lil Johnson
Sometime March to June 1936 in Chicago Matrix C-1365-1 Vocalion 03251
Piano: Black Bob ? Guitar: Big Bill Broonzy
Composition: Lil Johnson
'Was I?' (drunk) Lil Johnson
11 June 1936 in Chicago Matrix C-1398-1 Vocalion 03266
Clarinet: Arnett Nelson Piano: Black Bob Guitar: Big Bill Broonzy
Music: Chick Endor Lyrics: Charles Farrell
'Let's Get Drunk and Truck' Lil Johnson and her Chicago Swingers
20 Aug 1936 in Chicago Matrix C-1446-2 Vocalion 03312
Trumpet: Lee Collins ? Clarinet: Arnett Nelson
Piano: J. Harry Shayne Upright bass: John Lindsay
Composition: Hudson Whittaker (Tampa Red)
Johnson's vernacular may require explanation in places. "Shave 'Em Dry" below refers to aggressive sex minus foreplay, that is, lubrication. 'Shave 'Em' Dry' was originally authored by Ma Rainey with William Jackson in 1924. Johnson's is a more polite version of that than Lucille Bogan's who recorded it as Bessie Jackson on 5 March 1935 [Second Hand Songs]. The latter is the earliest instance of the word "fuck" used in modern recording, so far as I know. That was released on Melotone M 13342, Oriole 8487, Romeo 5487 and Perfect 0332. Further below find "Stavin' Chain" which in manufacturing held barrels together for banding. The term might also refer the chain which linked prisoners together by their neck bands. It may also refer to a legendary railroad conductor in folklore as well as a musician named Wilson Jones who used "Stavin' Chain' as a pseudonym [Alan Lomax]. Jelly Roll Morton spoke of a popular pimp called Stavin' Chain. It is also speculated that a staving chain might have been a sex toy employed to prevent premature ejaculation.
'New Shave 'Em Dry' Lil Johnson
19 Nov 1936 in Chicago Matrix C-1684-1 Vocalion 03428
Trumpet: Mr. Sheiks / Alfred Bell
Piano: Black Bob Guitar: Big Bill Broonzy Upright bass: Bill Settles
Composition: Lil Johnson from Ma Rainey's 'Shave 'Em Dry' of 1924
("Shave 'Em Dry" = slang for aggressive sex minus foreplay)
'Stavin' Chain' Lil Johnson
10 June 1937 in Chicago Take 1 of 2 Matrix C-1931-1
See the album 'Brown Sugar' on Murray Hill MH-M58179 1983
Trumpet: Alfred Bell Piano: Myrtle Jenkins Drums: Fred Williams
Composition: ?
'Stavin' Chain' Lil Johnson
10 June 1937 in Chicago Take 2 of 2 Matrix C-1931-2
See the album 'Copulatin' Blues' on Stash ST-101 1976
Trumpet: Alfred Bell Piano: Myrtle Jenkins Drums: Fred Williams
Composition: ?
'When Your Troubles Are Like Mine' Lil Johnson
Last-known recording to see issue
29 Dec 1937 in Chicago Matrix C-2071-1 Vocalion 03941
Composition: ?
After Lil's final recordings in 1937 she simply vanished from all documentation. What became of her after that is unknown.
Sources & References for Lil Johnson:
(notes)Audio of Johnson: YouTube
Compositions: Music Brainz Second Hand Songs
Recordings: Catalogs: 45 Worlds All Music Discogs RYM
Recordings: Compilations:
Complete Recorded Works In Chronological Order:
Document Records DOCD-5307 (Volume 1: 23 April 1929-22 April 1936 / 1994)
Document Records DOCD-5308 (Volume 2: 22 April 1936-3 March 1937 / 1994)
Document Records DOCD-5309 (Volume 3: 3 March-29 December 1937 / 1994)
Recordings: Sessionographies:
Steven Abrams (Melotone 1935-36)
DAHR (1929/35)
Henry König (Melotone 1935-36)
Tom Lord: 20 sessions 1929-1937
Repertoire:
New Shave 'Em Dry (1936): Paul Oliver Wikipedia
Stavin' Chain (1937):
Debra Devi Brian Ellis St. Olaf College Weenie Campbell
Rivals:
Lucille Bogan (aka Bessie Jackson or Molly Ragg / 1897-1948 / active 1923-35):
Eugene Chadbourne (Bogan / All Music)
Eugene Chadbourne (Jackson / All Music)
DAHR (sessions 1923-30)
Discogs (Bogan)
Discogs (Jackson)
Discogs (Ragg)
Jim O'Neal (Blues Foundation)
Classical Main Menu Modern Recording
hmrproject (at) aol (dot) com